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Chinese customs officers in the coastal province of Shandong have confiscated sixty thousand maps that "improperly identified" the self-ruled island of Taiwan, which Beijing claims as part of its territory.

The maps, officials stated, also "failed to include important islands" in the South China Sea, where Beijing's claims conflict with those of its neighbors, including the Philippines and Vietnam.

The "violating" maps, c intended for foreign distribution, cannot be sold because they "endanger national unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity" of the People's Republic of China, officials confirmed.

Maps are a contentious issue for Chinese authorities and its rivals for coral formations, islands and outcrops in the disputed maritime region.

Specific Violations

Customs authorities explained that the maps also did not contain the nine-dash line, which defines China's territorial assertion over nearly the entire South China Sea.

The demarcation includes nine segments which stretches hundreds of miles southeastern direction from its southernmost province of Hainan.

The confiscated materials also did not mark the oceanic demarcation between mainland China and Japan, authorities said.

Taiwan Status

Officials stated the maps incorrectly labeled "Taiwan province", without detailing what exactly the mislabelling was.

China considers self-governed Taiwan as its territory and has not ruled out the use of military action to take the island. But Taiwan views itself as different from the Chinese mainland, with its own governing document and elected leadership.

Regional Disputes

Tensions in the disputed maritime region flare up occasionally - just recently over the weekend, when maritime craft from China and the Philippines were involved in another confrontation.

Manila alleged a China's maritime craft of deliberately ramming and deploying water jets at a government-owned Philippine craft.

But Beijing said the incident happened after the vessel from the Philippines disregarded multiple alerts and "moved perilously near" the Chinese ship.

Historical Precedents

The Philippines and Vietnam are also especially concerned to representations of the South China Sea in maps.

The 2023 Barbie film from last year was prohibited in the Vietnamese market and modified in the Philippine release for depicting a maritime chart with the nine-segment boundary.

The statement from China Customs did not indicate where the intercepted items were planned for distribution. China supplies much of the world's goods, from holiday decorations to stationery.

The interception of "problematic maps" by Chinese customs officers is relatively common - though the amount of the maps intercepted in Shandong significantly exceeds previous confiscations. Products that fail inspection at the border control are destroyed.

In spring, customs officers at an air transportation hub in Qingdao intercepted a batch of 143 navigation charts that featured "clear mistakes" in the national borders.

In August, customs officers in the northern province confiscated two "non-compliant charts" that, in addition to other issues, included a "incorrect depiction" of the the Tibet region's limits.